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Speaking in Plain English to the Treasury Secretary

Dan Zukowski, Newport Beach, Calif.: The problem with executive pay is that it no longer follows the time-honored risk/reward ratio. Let’s say an entrepreneur starts a business, becomes successful and hires employees. He generally pays himself substantially more than the people he hires, because those employees haven’t put their own capital and credit at risk. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

However, corporate C.E.O.’s face little risk — they have generous severance packages, golden parachutes and large signing bonuses. The risk/reward is reversed: it is often the workers, both in the factory and in the cubicles, who will suffer loss of benefits, salary reductions or loss of jobs if the management screws up.

That’s a dangerous free-market inversion, one we will sooner or later choke on.

Susan, Copenhagen: Loved the Mr. Snow column, except you might have mentioned that, unlike most highly paid executives and Bush cronies, Bill Gates generously gives away half his wealth! He is unusually generous so I hate to see him used as an example of a typical wealthy American. Can’t you choose a more selfish and greedy one?

James Monaco, New York: Bill Gates walks into a bar. What a great metaphor! Such a brilliant way to describe the difference between average and median.

*sigh* The world has changed.They can’t be just the same as in the 30s….But we sure need something–both for individuals and for the country. Both of their moral and physical Infrastructures are in sad disarray.